website thubmnail of AbeBooks
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New Jersey
1 review
0 helpful votes
Follow Bharat P.
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I placed an order on Abebook with book seller - booksdeck, Westlake Village, CA U.S.A. It turned out to be a scam. I placed order while also paying for express delivery. Expected delivery was 2 - 6 business days. Its been 2 weeks and I still have not received the item. They gave me a fake tracking number that till date just shows label created. It's not been handed over to USPS yet. I contacted the seller before placing an order to confirm if they have the book in stock. I was also informed that the book has been shipped. I also tried contacting AbeBooks and they do not have any contact number or email to talk to. That is the reason, even AbeBooks is also a scam website and now a platform.

Date of experience: January 22, 2025
New York
11 reviews
17 helpful votes
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Unreliable
November 21, 2024

I bought some books from Abebooks, but decided to cancel my order with one of the sellers Books Unplugged. I know that I pressed cancel but Abebooks processed the order anyway. I did contact them, but never received a response from them. After waiting two days I contacted them again and again I didn't receive a reply. They are supposed to respond after 24 hours. I messaged Books Unplugged but they refused to take back the book once it was delivered. Abebooks is responsible for what happened. Both Abebooks and Books Unplugged put profit ahead of their customers satisfaction. They have a narrow focus on the bottom line. With things getting more and more expensive hopefully it will be unprofitable for Books Unplugged to sell on Abebooks and other sites like Abebooks or even Amazon which owns Abebooks.

Date of experience: November 21, 2024
Connecticut
1 review
0 helpful votes
Follow John B.
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I purchased a number of books at one time from AbeBooks. I ordered only those books listed as in Excellent or Very Good condition. Most of the books were in average condition. Two were in a condition that didn't rise to the level of poor. Their customer service was almost impossible to reach, and two weeks too late. My advice: buy your books anywhere else!

Date of experience: November 11, 2024
Pennsylvania
1 review
0 helpful votes
Follow Don B.
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I purchased children's book, Door Bell, for my grandchild listed as New. Book is a pop uo book with working doorbell. I contacted them to make sure book had working doorbell minutes after ordering. The response the following day was, "the doorbell doesn't work but book has already shipped." I tried calling the same day I ordered book but was unable to speak to a human. They said they will not accept return.
When listing a book as NEW, you would expect everything about book would be in working order.

Date of experience: November 16, 2024
Washington
1 review
1 helpful vote
Follow Tanya E.
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Here is what I wrote to them directly:
I ordered a book set from your site recently. It was Prince Valiant by Hal Foster. Since then, any time I have tried to log into your website, my screen is inundated with books you seem to think I would be interested in and they all have book covers with female nudity, or titles that are sexually suggestive. I will therefore no longer be patronizing your company. I don't need to see, neither do I have the minutest interest in seeing, dirty books you have for sale. I am at a loss to know why on earth your sales algorithms connect a Sunday newspaper comic strip with filth such as you are now attempting to shove in my face, but I'm ending it right here, right now. My business relationship with your company is over. What a disgrace.

Date of experience: April 7, 2024
Florida
1 review
1 helpful vote
Follow Alejandra F.
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I have written incessantly to Customer Service to ask where all of my books are that I ordered from Hippo Books. There are about 12 pending purchases with incorrect shipping information on the orders. I have asked repeatedly for updated tracking information to no avail. This website was my go-to site for hard to find books or great deals. Ever since Amazon bought them, they get away with false advertising the state of the used books, overpricing on second hands books and they lie about having shipped items so they can get away with not refunding your money. Seems like Amazon is intentionally bringing down the used-book industry to force people to go back to Amazon to buy these books at full price.

Date of experience: April 1, 2024
Washington
1 review
1 helpful vote
Follow Chad H.
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My wife was scammed out of $1200 by someone using this site. They made it look like four $300.19 purchases. We have never even heard of this site much less bought anything from it. But apparently its an easy way to steal money. There should be some way to identify the seller.

Date of experience: March 3, 2024
Washington
1 review
5 helpful votes
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Never received book
December 19, 2023

I contacted customer service through email to get help with finding out where my package is and they were completely useless. They refused to help and said it showed delivered even though I never received anything. Do not buy your textbook from this website it's a scam!

Date of experience: December 19, 2023
New York
2 reviews
2 helpful votes
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Don't throw your money away
March 31, 2024

AbeBooks is an amateur website with no oversight and incompetent staff. I was shipped a $200 book via the cheapest possible method, resulting in the book being thrown on the ground in front of my house and lost/stolen. AbeBooks made no effort to use signature-on-delivery. When I contacted them, the representative was indignant and uncooperative.

Date of experience: March 31, 2024
Massachusetts
1 review
3 helpful votes
Follow Lori C.
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Buyer beware!
January 2, 2024

Ordered a "new" Ken Follett book for a holiday gift that is not in production anymore. With a lengthy delay I received a damaged book; pages torn and bent. Packaged poorly but book was clearly damaged previous to shipping and used. Poor packaging probably added some corner damages. The rep "Shannon" that was in touch with me seemed really concerned and was responsive. Asked what discount I would like or should they send another. We wanted the book! With a huge delay another book was sent and received. Packaged well but damaged and used? A red stamp with a date was on inside of back cover. Dust jacket for both books used and pages damaged. Received too close to the holiday to be able take advantage of pricing and new books elsewhere plus those books at this point were gone. They gave me $7 off and Shannon wasn't quite as supportive anymore. She was always quick to respond each time though. So I paid an hugely inflated price for a "new" and at this point used book. Never again!

+2
Date of experience: January 1, 2024
North Carolina
1 review
4 helpful votes
Follow Tom F.
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AbeBooks is just fine with its sellers shipping a different book than was ordered.The listing was for a 'New!' book in unused condition. When the seller realized the book wasn't actually in stock, she ordered one from Amazon and had it delivered to me. Needless to say, it was not 'New!'. And it cost me twice as much as if I'd ordered it from Amazon myself. When I emailed "customer service", they replied - "Occasionally, when you order an item from an AbeBooks seller and they no longer have it in stock, they will locate and ship the item from an alternate source rather than cancel the order." Really? How is that OK? Because cancellations reflect poorly on a seller's star rating, based on the percentage of successful (non-cancelled) orders. Cant have those sellers looking bad! So now I get to return the thing at my expense, along with two weeks I'll never get back. BTW I never have these issues with Biblio.com, who I recommend highly. Good luck!

Date of experience: November 11, 2023
Ohio
2 reviews
18 helpful votes
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Bad Business Practices
December 28, 2023

Made a purchase.
After purchase, I was told by AbeBooks that the seller wanted more money (additional money) than what was agreed upon.
I asked questions to AbeBooks in return.
My questions were unanswered and my order was canceled because they sold the books from under me even though I had an active order.

At the time of this review, they have 700 reviews and a 1.8 rating. No wonder.

Date of experience: December 27, 2023
Illinois
2 reviews
6 helpful votes
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Poor service on returns
January 21, 2024

The site offers a wide array of books and the prices are typically competitive with other sites. The site is also fairly easy to navigate with the usual search tools and a fairly intuitive interface. My issue with the site is that when I did purchase a book and an entirely different book was sent to me, and I attempted to return the said book for a refund, I discovered I would have to package, label, and ship the item back to the seller entirely at my own expense. When a buyer receives an incorrect item, every effort should be made to make the return process as easy as possible, and the buyer should absolutely not incur expenses.

Date of experience: January 21, 2024
Washington
1 review
3 helpful votes
Follow Patrick H.
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Christmas headache
December 31, 2023

I ordered a book from AbeBooks via Thiftbooks. This was an out of print music book and was to be a Christmas gift. A book arrived and was placed under the tree. On Christmas, it was discovered that Thiftbooks has mailed a children's novel rather than the book ordered. That day, emails were sent to both companies explaining the error and asking for the correct book to be sent. A week later, I still have not gotten anywhere with either company, although Thiftbooks says they do still have the book I paid AbeBooks for. Almost daily I hear from a different person at AbeBooks who seems to not understand that the wrong book was delivered. It is impossible to actually speak to a person to solve the issue. I work in sales and if I treated my customers this way, then I would be out of business. This is dreadful customer service.

Date of experience: December 31, 2023
Oklahoma
1 review
1 helpful vote
Follow Jan I.
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I placed an order for 2 of the same books for a class. One of AbeBooks seller's, GreatBookPrices, sent me the wrong books for which I paid over $50. This is after I waited 13 days for them to arrive. I contacted them the day they arrived and they refused to give me a refund, send out the correct books, or send me a prepaid return label until I send the books back. So, now I have to send the books back at my own expense. If I send them via media mail, which is how they came, I'll have to wait a total of at least a month from the time I ordered before I get my refund. This is horrific customer service. I will NEVER order from AbeBooks or their seller, GreatBookPrices again. This was totally their mistake and it is unconscionable that I'll be out this much money for their mistake. Beware before you purchase.

Date of experience: May 21, 2024
Washington
1 review
2 helpful votes
Follow Freya W.
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I have had the experience now two times of ordering a textbook on AbeBooks, but receiving the wrong edition. In the first instance I ordered a calculus textbook but received the solutions manual for it instead. In the second instance, I ordered the 4th and most current edition of a biology textbook, but received the 3rd instead. With the calculus book, it cost more money to ship it back for a return than I paid for it, so essentially I just lost my money. I am sending back the biology book and hoping I will get my refund as it cost me almost $170 with the postage and tax, but I will only get back what I paid for the book. I strongly advise against trying to save money on textbooks by using AbeBooks instead of your school bookstore/publisher. The sad part is, AbeBooks used to be a very reliable place for buying books (I was a customer for years), and I can only think it went downhill after being taken over by Amazon.

Date of experience: December 28, 2023
California
2 reviews
1 helpful vote
Follow A B.
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I have never had an issue with ABE Books! My latest order was made on the 28th of January and I received it on the 6th of February. It has always been this way with this company. I guess I've been lucky!

Date of experience: February 19, 2024
New Jersey
1 review
0 helpful votes
Follow T G.
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I ordered a book from a seller that has a five star rating, later I find out it has everything to do with registered reviews and I find out when the package does arrive the label is a completely different store name on it with a horrible review. After three weeks of waiting for my order I ask where is my book and they state it was sent already. It had not been and the post master was a liar. ABE books does not give any help and wont even allow closing your account. To sum it up the book arrived today, June 20th, and with a broken binding, ripped cover, and the last two pages missing. AVOID ABE BOOKS!

Date of experience: June 20, 2024
Connecticut
1 review
0 helpful votes
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I've ordered already ~ 20 books, just one was not as described, but refund was issued the next day. I'd recommend this website.
I saw bad reviews here, but experience is opposite to that, maybe Abebooks become better.

Date of experience: July 23, 2022
Ohio
1 review
0 helpful votes
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Super Happy!
October 13, 2022

I've been trying to find a specific cookbook for years. Not only did AbeBooks have it, I got a great price too! Very cheap and exactly as advertised. Can't argue with that! I'll be a returning customer for certain.

Date of experience: October 12, 2022

Overview

AbeBooks has a rating of 1.6 stars from 715 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. Reviewers dissatisfied with AbeBooks most frequently mention customer service, tracking number and credit card. AbeBooks ranks 39th among Used Books sites.

service
197
value
190
shipping
190
returns
135
quality
168